The Legend of the Hummingbird

the first hum

Legend has it that long ago, when the Earth was young and life was still finding its way, a great fire ravaged the forest. The animal inhabitants of the forest stood helplessly as the flames consumed their home, until the hummingbird sprang into action. It flew to the nearest stream, filling its minuscule beak with water, and dropped it onto the raging fire. Back and forth it went, each drop a valiant effort to extinguish the inferno.

The other animals mocked the hummingbird, questioning how such a tiny creature could make any difference. Undeterred, the hummingbird simply replied, "I am doing the best I can."

Inspired by the hummingbird's determination, the other animals followed suit. Together, drop by drop, they extinguished the fire and saved the forest. And from that day on, the hummingbird became a symbol of hope, showing that even the smallest act of kindness can make a difference.

To this day, the indigenous people tell the legend of the hummingbird to teach the importance of compassion, courage, and perseverance. They believe that the spirit of the hummingbird lives on, reminding us all to do the best we can, no matter how daunting the task may seem.

so what makes you hum?

It can often feel like we're surrounded by chaos and uncertainty in this world, but that does not mean we’re alone in the chaos and uncertainty of it all. The hummingbird's story reminds us that we all face challenges that may seem insurmountable, but we can inspire change for ourselves and others; we have the power within us to take action, no matter how small it may seem, to make a difference and push through the flames of adversity. That is precisely why it acts as the centerpiece of thought for this blog. For a 23–nearly 24– year old woman (with a love for written thought) who has recently watched her life crumble into a million pieces, regrettably not for the first time, I felt called to share the experiences that have led me here, and create a space for myself and others to talk about where life goes from here. 

The human condition is to want to be seen, heard, understood. It is a pillar of life to first and foremost do this for ourselves. My hope is to gain a better understanding of who I am along the way of these posts, but also to connect to those who are feeling the same way I do, because we are not alone in the ever-evolving pursuit of self-identity and self-acceptance. Above all, I want to find the writer within myself again. There has always been this strange desire to romanticize life in a way that does not diminish its pain, it’s honesty. The true, raw account of my world won’t always be beautiful. There won’t be a filter, or little white lies. It both terrifies me and exhilarates me to unfold the inner workings of my brain onto this blog for the world to see, but the little hum in the back of my mind has been propelled to the forefront and I can no longer trap them inside. My hope is that along the way, some of my readers will see themselves in my stories and perhaps in my journey of finding myself will help you all find yourselves, too.

We are truly never alone in this dark thick forest fire.